Convertible beach chair-suit case combination



pril

H. ROB

ERT S A ril 20, 1965 A. H. ROBERTS ,4

CONVERTIBLE BEACH CHAIR-SUIT CASE COMBINATION Filed Sept. 25, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TOR ATTORNEY Arthur Roberts FIG.8.

a u I... l 4 8 5 II I IHHHHHI I HI u W. 6 4 E 6 4 6 6 4 e a a w m m m w5 I 4 ll I 4| 8 I I I 7 m 8 I O 5 n G 7 V1 J A m F 5 5 W 8 W l 7 7 IL Im 0 7 3 3 3 O 0 r7 8 \7 7) T 7 J I 1 r\ 86 7 8 m w 2 2 W m I 4 7 4 8 I.w 2 2 3 l [JIII 8 l 3 86 B I u I 4 a 7 M" 5 M 6 2 I I 8 9 2 m L 6IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII H O f I|'|||Iliv%flhl 1\ m o G 4 (In: ||||||\l...|l I 8or F 6 H 3 United States Patent Arthur H. Roberts, 12% Eastern Parkway,Brooklyn, N31. Filed Sept. 25, 1962, Ser. No. 225,999 4 Claims. (Cl.297-17) This invention relates to collapsible beach chairs and moreparticularly to a beach chair of conventional appearance comprising,however, a structure enabling the conversion thereof into a suit case ofparallelepiped configuration, said suit case providing a substantialvolume of carrying space in the manner of a common grip designedspecifically for the carrying function.

Consonant with the foregoing, the instant invention has for its primaryobject the provision of a new and useful convertible beach chair-suitcase combination which is conventional of appearance either in the beachchair or suit case operative position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination ofthe foregoing dual character which is readily convertible from one formto the other by one person in a simple and expedient manner.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of abeach chair-suit case combination both light in weight and durable ofconstruction.

With the foregoing and various other obiects and features in View, whichwill be readily apparent from the following description and explanation,the instant invention consists in certain novel features in design,construction, and combination of elements, all of which will be morefully and particularly referred to and described hereinbelow following.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar referencecharacters refer to corresponding parts and elements throughout theseveral figures,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the instant invention shown in thefolded suit case operative form;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective View of the instant invention shown in theunfolded beach chair operative form;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the beach chair embodiment;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the beach chair embodiment;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the beach chair embodiment taken alongline 5-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary and enlarged view in crosssection taken alongline 6-6 of FIGURE 5 FIGURE 7 is an enlarged illustration of a portionof the device showing the foldable nature of the elements of one of thebeach chair supporting members;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the arm rest structure takenalong li .e 88 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary plan view taken along line 99 of FIGURE 4.

As thus illustrated, the convertible beach chair-suit case combinationis designated generally by numeral 1 in its suit case form and bynumeral 2 in its beach chair form, reference being made to FIGURES l and2 of the drawings, respectively.

Essentially, the structure according to this invention is, incombination, comprised of rectangular seat portion 4, rectangular backportion 6, intermediate section 3, first support member Ill, secondsupport member 14, arm rest members 16, 1S and foot rest portion Ztl.

With reference to said seat portion 4 in detail, it will be observedthat said element includes obverse surface 22, reverse surface 2%, sides26, 28 and forward and rearward ends 3i and 32, respectively, pair ofside sections 34, 36 integral with said sides 23 respectively, anddepending at right angles therefrom, and a pair of inwardly facing guidechannel members 38, 4h secured longitudinally to said side sections 34,as, respectively, and positioned adjacently of the reverse surface 24 ofsaid seat portion 4.

Back portion 6, shown as a side of the suit case in FIG- URE l of thedrawings, will be observed in detail by referring to FIGURES 2, 3 and 5,wherein said element is seen comprised of sides 42, 4d, obverse andreverse surfaces 46 and 48, respectively, forward and rearward ends 5%and 52, respectively, end section 54 integral with said rearward end anddepending normally therefrom, a pair of side spectively, and dependingat right angles therefrom, said end section and said side sections beingunited at said rearward end to form corners fill and 62 with said backportion.

Disposed between said seat portion 4 and said back portion 5 in thebeach chair operative form or as an end wall in the suit case operativeform, is intermediate section 8 shown in FIGURES 2 and 1, respectivelytherein accomplishing either function. More specifically saidintermediate section includes obverse and reverse surfaces 68 and 7%,sides 72, '74 and forward and rearward ends 76 and 78, respectively.

Referring now to FIGURES 7 and 9 of the drawings, a second framestructure comprised of parallel tubular members 8t and 82 and transversetubular member 34 integrally disposed therebetween at the ends thereofadjacent rearward end 78, is seen depending spacedly with respect toreverse surface 749 of said intermediate section 3, spacing blocks 73,'75 being interposed therebetwecn for securing said frame structure tosaid intermediate section. Parallel tubular members 3'9 and 32 arefurther connected with said inwardly facing channel members 33 and 49,respectively, the unions therebetween being offset pivot connections '77and 79. Accordingly, then, it will be appreciated that said intermediatesection and said seat portion are pivotally related, said members beingpivotable 90 by reason of the offset pivot arrangements utilized.

Said pair of arm rest members 16, 181 are pivotally secured to saidframe structure by sleeve connectors as, 88, 9t and'92 as shown in saidfigures, and are adapted thereat for 189 angular rotation as shown inFIGURE 8 wherein arm rest member 18 is illustrated in its upwardlydisposed position and in its downwardly disposed position, the latterbeing represented in broken line designation by numeral 19. As furtherobserved in FIG- URE 8, indents 94 and 96 are provided surfacedly ofthose regions of said parallel tubular memers fill and $2 in registrywith said sleeve connectors, at opposing positions, to receive balls 98provided internally of each sleeve connector, thus serving as locking 1leans suitably retaining said arm rest members in either position asshown.

A first tubular frame structure, shown in vertical section in FIGURES 5and 7 and in fragmentary plan view in FIGURE 9, is secured to reverseside 43 of back portion 6 thus providing structural rigidity thereto andfurther providing the hinged relation between said intermediate sectionand said back portion to be described hereinbelow. More specifically,said first tubular frame structure is comprised of a pair of paralleltubular members 64, 65 having transverse tubular" member flit disposedtherebetween at the ends thereof adjacent forward end 52 of said backportion 6, the ends of said tubular members adjacent forward end 5% ofsaid back portion being pivotally secured to said transverse tubularmember 84 by virtue of the hinged connection furnished by sleeveconnectors 1M and 1%. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that said backportion and said intermediate section are, therefore, pivot sections 5s,58 integral with said sides 42, 44- re a, V in ally related, said backportion being capable of either assuming depending perpendicularity withrespect to said intermediate section, this attitude being significantfor conversion of the beach chair configuration to that of a suit case,or of forming an obtuse angle with said intermediate section whileserving as a back rest of the beach chair embodiment as shown in thedrawings. Thus, said back portion,in accomplishing said conversion, isrotatable approximately 180 with respect to said intermediate section.

To the end of supporting the seat and back portions and the intermediatesection in firm, spaced relation with respect to a ground surface, firstand second support members 1t) and 14 are provided as shown in FIGURES2, 4, 5 and 7 of the drawings.

With reference to FIGURE 2, it will be observed that said first supportmember includes a pair of tubular U- shaped legs 11 and 12, said legsbeing hingedly secured to channel guide members 36 and 33, respectively,by means of bracket hinges 103, one typical hinged connection beingdisclosed in detail in FIGURE 6 of the drawings. As illustrated therein,leg 11 is adapted to pivot through an angular movement of 90, flatportion iii) of said bracket hinge serving as a stop thereby retainingsaid leg in the vertical downward supporting position. The broken lineretracted position is assumed when conversion of the beach chairembodiment to the suit case form is desired, at which time said tubularU-shaped legs if and 12 are foldable into juxtaposition adjacent reverseside 24 of said seat portion.

Referring both to FlGURES 2 and 5, it will be understood that secondsupport member 14, being comprised of parallel legs 112 and 1M andtransverse base member 116 extending therebetween at one end thereof, isU-shaped of configuration, the other end of said legs being secured bybolts 117 to parallel bars fill and 82 of said first tubular framestructure, said legs being rigidly extended angularly therefrom as shownin the drawings, and further extending beneath said back portion in itseffective supporting position. Said transverse base member and thesection of said parallel legs terminating at offset pivot regions 1118,129, are adapted to fold in the direction of said seat portion as shownin FIGURE 7, this foldable unsecured portion of said second supportmember being designated therein as broken line portion 122.

A U-shaped strut comprised of a pair of parallel arms 124, 126 and atransverse member 128 extending therebetween at the depending endthereof, coacts with said second support member to permit adjustment ofsaid back portion 6 with respect to its angle of inclination and tofurther support said back position against forces acting thereagainst.To that end said strut is pivotally connected to parallel tubularmembers 64, 65, at points 13%, Whereas said transverse member 128 may beselectively positioned within notches 132 provided surfacedly of each ofsaid parallel legs as shown, thereby affording means for regulating theobtuse degree of inclination of said back portion with respect to saidintermediate section in accordance with the desire of the user.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that saidfoot rest portion 29 includes a main tubular frame 134 and an extensibleforward section 136, said forward section being telescopicallyreceivable within the side peripheral portions of said main tubularframe; it being further appreciated that said main tubular frame isslidably receivable within said inwardly facing guide channel members 38and 40, said frame being thus adapted to slide rearwardly of saidchannel members to the position shown at 138 in FIGURES 5 and 7 of thedrawings.

Should it besome desirable to convert the beach chair embodiment 2 intothe suitcase embodiment 1, it is merely necessary to retract the footrest into the channel members as described above, fold the legs of thefirst support member into juxtaposition beneath the seat portion,reverse the position of the arm rest members by pivoting said membersthrough 18 to thereby assume the position shown in FIGURE 7, remove thestrut from the second support member thereafter rotating it about itspivot points to a position between parallel tubular members 64,

65 and in the same plane therewith, fold second support member as shownin FiGURE 7 and rotate the seat and back portions through andapproximately 180, respectively, with respect to the intermediatesection, said seat and back portions thereby assuming a parallel andopposing relation, fasteners 140 being provided to enable said suit caseto be held in the closed position shown in FIGURE 1, and handle 142being provided to facilitate transporting the suit case in theconventional manner.

It being understood that the foregoing detailed d scription is exemplaryof the preferred construction of the invention, it will be appreciatedthat variations may be made in the shape and nature of the materials ofconstruction, e.g., the tubular components may be of solid form or ofany other suitable form as well and that numerous other modificationsmay be made by those skilled in the art without actually departing fromthe invention The appended claims, therefore, are intended to cover allsuch equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope ofthe foregoing disclosure.

What is claimed is:

l. A suit case and beach chair combination, said combination beingcomprised of a rectangular seat portion having an obverse and a reversesurface, sides, and a forward and a rearward end, and a pair of inwardlyfacing guide channel members secured adjacently of the reverse surfaceof said seat portion; and a rectangular back portion having an obverseand a reverse surface, sides, and a forward and a rearward end, and afirst frame structure secured to tl e reverse side of said back portion;a rectangular intermediate section, said intermediate section having anobverse and a reverse surface, sides, and a forward and a rearward end,said intermediate section hingedly disposed between said seat and backportions; first support members including a pair of U-shaped legs, hingemeans depending from said inwardly facing guide channel members, saidfirst support members being hingedly associated with said guide channelmembers and foldable into juxtaposition adjacent said reverse surface ofsaid seat portion; a second frame structure depending adjacently fromthe reverse surface of said intermediate section, said second framestructure including a pair of parallel tubular bars, said paralieltubular bars being parallel with respect to the sides of saidintermediate section and secured to the reverse surface thereof; a pairof arm rest members pivotally secured to said second frame structure forrotational movement, a second support member of U-shaped configurationand having a pair of parallel legs and a transverse base memberextending therebetween at one end thereof, the other end of saidparallel legs being secured to said second frame structure and extendingangularly therefrom, pivot means intermediate the ends of said parallellegs, said pivot means rendering the unsecured end of said secondsupport member foldable in the direction of said seat portion, andnotches provided surfacedly of each of said parallel legs and positionedbetween said pivot means and said transverse member; a U-shaped struthaving a pair of parallel arms and a transverse member extendingtherebetween at one end thereof, the other end of said parallel armsbeing pivotally connected to said frame structure contiguous with thereverse side of said rectangular back portion, the transverse member ofsaid strut being removably receivable within said notches; and a footrest portion extending outwardly of the forward end of said rectangularseat portion, said foot rest portion being slidably receivabie withinsaid pair of inwardly facing guide channel members; said combinationbeing collapsible into a parallelepiped configuration.

2. A suit case and beach chair combination, said combination beingcomprised of a seat portion having an obverse and a reverse surface, anda pair of inwardly facing guide channel members secured adjacently ofthe reverse surface of said seat portion; and a back portion having anobverse and a reverse surface, and a first frame structure secured tothe reverse surface of said back portion; an intermediate section, saidintermediate section having an obverse and a reverse surface, saidintermediate section being hingedly disposed between said seat and backportions; a first support member hingedly associated with said guidechannel members and foldable into juxtaposition adjacent said reversesurface of said seat portion; a second frame structure dependingadjacently from the reverse surface of said intermediate section, a pairof arm rest members pivotally secured to said second frame structure for180 rotational movement; a second support member extending angularlyfromsaid second frame structure; a strut member pivotally depending fromsaid first frame structure, said strut member and said second supportmember being cooperatively related to permit adjustment of the angle ofinclination of said back portion with respect to said intermediatesection; said combination being collapsible into a parallelepipedconfiguration.

3. A suit case andbeach chair combination, said combination beingcomprised of a seat portion having an obverse and a reverse surface, anda guide frame structure secured adjacently of the reverse surface ofsaid seat portion; a back portion having an obverse and a reversesurface; a first frame structure secured to the reverse surface of saidback portion; an intermediate section having an obverse and a reversesurface, said intermediate section being hingedly disposed between saidseat and back portions, said seat and back portions being rotatable 90and approximately respectively, with respect to said intermediatesection, a first support member hingedly associated With said guideframe structure and foldable into juxtaposition adjacent said reversesurface of said seat portion; a second frame structure dependingadjacently from the reverse surface of said intermediate section;support means cooperatively connecting said first and second framestructures to permit retention of said back portion at an obtuse anglewith respect to said intermediate section; said combination beingcollapsible into a parallelepiped configuration.

4. A suit case and beach chair combination as set forth in claim 3wherein said support means includes a first member pivotally dependingfrom said back portion and a second member extending from saidintermediate section whereby said first and second members coact topermit adjustment of the angle of inclination of said back portion withrespect to said intermediate section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A SUIT CASE AND BEACH CHAIR COMBINATION, SAID COMBINATION BEINGCOMPRISED OF A RECTRANGULAR SEAT PORTION HAVING AN OBVERSE AND A REVERSESURFACE, SIDES, AND A FORWARD AND A REARWARD END, AND A PAIR OF INWARDLYFACING GUIDE CHANNEL MEMBERS SECURED ADJACENTLY OF THE REVERSE SURFACEOF SAID SEAT PORTION; AND A RECTANGULAR BACK PORTION HAVING AN OBVERSEAND A REVERSE SURFACE, SIDES, AND A FORWARD AND A REARWARD END, AND AFIRST FRAME STRUCTURE SECURED TO THE REVERSE SIDE OF SAID BACK PORTION;A RECTANGULAR INTERMEDIATE SECTION, SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION HAVING ANOBVERSE AND A REVERSE SURFACE, SIDES, AND A FORWARD AN A REARWARD END,SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION BEING HINGEDLY DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SEAT ANDBACK PORTIONS; FIRST SUPPORT MEMBERS INCLUDING A PAIR OF U-SHAPED LEGS,HINGE MEANS DEPENDING FROM SAID INWARDLY FACING GUIDE CHANNEL MEMBERS,SAID FIRST SUPPORT MEMBERS BEING HINGEDLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID GUIDECHANNEL MEMBERS AND FOLDABLE INTO JUXTAPOSITION ADJACENT SAID REVERSESURFACE OF SAID SEAT PORTION; A SECOND FRAME STRUCTURE DEPENDINGADJACENTLY FROM THE REVERSE SURFACE OF SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION, SAIDSECOND FRAME STRUCTURE INCLUDING A PAIR OF PARALLEL TUBULAR BARS, SAIDPARALLEL TUBULAR BARS BEING PARALLEL WITH RESPECT TO THE SIDES OF SAIDINTERMEDIATE SECTION AND SECURED TO THE REVERSE SURFACE THEREOF; A PAIROF ARM REST MEMBERS PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID SECOND FRAME STRUCTURE FOR180* ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT, A SECOND SUPPORT MEMBER OF U-SHAPEDCONFIGURATION AND HAVING A PAIR OF PARALLEL LEGS AND A TRANSVERSE BASEMEMBER EXTENDING THEREBETWEEN AT ONE END THEREOF, THE OTHER END OF SAIDPARALLEL LEGS BEING SECURED TO SAID SECOND FRAME STRUCTURE